The Priory Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Overall, staff ensure that the premises are safe, although, at times, some risks are overlooked on the daily risk assessment at the start of the day. However, later on, once the risk is pointed out to them, other staff address it prior to children's play.

All staff are consistently kind and respectful towards children. However, on some occasions, they provide activities without having a clear purpose for what they want children to learn. That said, the interactions of some staff with children are good, and activities are interesting.

For instance, toddlers explore sand, and older children blow bubbles in paint and make pr...ints from them. Children develop secure emotional attachments with staff.Older children have good imaginations.

They write letters to each other and learn to write their own names. This helps to develop children's pre-writing skills. Children feel secure with staff.

They sit with staff to share books, choosing their own books and turning the pages as staff read.Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They provide routines, which are adapted to meet children's individual needs.

For example, staff know when children need to take time away from large groups and provide other areas for children to explore. They work closely with outside professionals to ensure that children receive the support they need.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Although staff complete regular risk assessments of the nursery at the start of the session, these are not always effective.

For example, staff do not identify broken trays when they risk assess the setting at the start of the day. However, as children go out to play later, other staff see the trays and remove them, so this does not have a significant impact on children.Opportunities for children to express themselves during art and craft activities are sometimes restricted.

For example, when children take part in a creative activity, opportunities for free expression are not always supported. Displays throughout the nursery are with pre-drawn shapes or items. This means that children do not have the opportunity to express their own artistic ideas or develop a sense of self esteem and pride in seeing their work displayed.

Overall, the manager has a clear understanding of the curriculum and knows what she wants children to learn, with a current focus on children's speech. However, she does not always ensure that staff implement the curriculum effectively. For example, when staff concentrate intently on younger children, they sometimes overlook the older and most able children who approach them.

Therefore, at times, older children receive less effective interactions with staff to fully extend their learning.Staff embed opportunities for children to develop strong personal, social and emotional skills across the nursery. Staff recognise that supporting the uniqueness of children's personalities enables them to be confident and happy, which in turn prepares them for future learning.

Staff are good role models. They talk to children kindly and with respect. In turn, children are kind, polite and helpful.

For instance, pre-school children help to tidy away their own plates and use the dustpan and brush to help staff to sweep the floors.Staff receive appraisals with a focus on their professional development. They have ongoing access to online training to refresh and enhance their skills.

Staff regularly share their views during meetings and discuss children's learning. The manager holds the staff team in high regard and supports the workload of staff. Staff feel valued, and those staff who are receiving training say that they feel well supported.

Babies listen intently as staff repeat words and identify objects. Toddlers are exposed to new language as they explore different textures, read books and bath the dolls. Pre-school children link the sounds that letters make in their name and the names of their friends.

These emerging skills help to prepare children for the next stages in their learning journeys, including those getting ready for primary school.Parents receive effective information about their child's day and their development. Parents value the setting.

They commend the management team and staff for their open and regular communication. They feel equipped to support their children's ongoing development at home. They feel reassured when their children leave the nursery smiling and happy each day.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The managers ensure that all staff know how to report concerns about abuse or neglect, including how to escalate these, if necessary, to keep children safe. They understand the procedures to follow if they have concerns about the behaviours of adults working with children.

New staff are specifically trained to understand the setting's safeguarding policy and procedures. Consequently, they have a secure enough understanding of a range of safeguarding issues. Managers track accidents and incidents and make the necessary changes to ensure that the setting remains safe and secure.

Children are supervised closely by staff at mealtimes.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure that risk assessment procedures are robust and used appropriately to identify hazards which pose a risk to children's safety, particularly in the outdoor environment.21/07/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop further opportunities for children to explore a variety of materials to represent their own ideas and fully promote their creativity strengthen staff's understanding of the learning intentions, helping them to challenge the older and most able children to extend their progress in learning and development.